Latest Updates on Smart Electricity Meter Field Diagnostics
In the past century or so, energy transportation was conducted with only minimal variation in technology. At last, electricity distribution networks are getting the transformation they deserve. Energy utilities rely on smart meters to guarantee a continuous supply to customers.
With the energy sector moving towards renewable sources, there are new challenges in the form of intermittent generation, bidirectional energy flow, power line noise emission, and electricity distribution. These can result in issues in terms of network stability. How has things changed in smart electricity meter field diagnostics lately?
Smart Electricity Meter
Not only does a smart electricity meter monitor energy consumption, but it collects data on power quality too. It normally measures the total harmonic distortion, reactive energy, harmonic content, frequency changes, and voltage surges. The basic electrical qualities come from current and voltage measurements. A special analog front end processes them. Upon supplying the microcontroller, they are displayed or made available for remote transmission.
Measuring Current and Voltage
Voltage measurement has minor deviations, but the current tends to be more dynamic. The range can be anywhere from as little as several milliamps to as many as hundreds of amps. The current needs to be measured with precision. The four sensor types frequently used for current measurement are the current transformer, the Hall effect sensor, the Rogowski coil, and the shunt. They have their own advantages and disadvantages, so the best one depends on your needs and circumstances.
mSure Technology
A smart meter needs to have accurate performance for a long span of time. While this can be achieved with silicon electronic components and a decent design, external elements alter their performance. The effects are typically hard to detect.
Analog Devices created the mSure technology, which makes it possible to do a real-time check of the measurement chain status. It also keeps the sensor safe from external effects and comes with an autocalibration function. A smart meter with this technology will let you continuously or intermittently check for meter accuracy. This is promising news that may have wide repercussions across the industry.
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